Hi Y’all!

I’m planning on hitting the streets in Washington, DC this spring... I’ve checked with the the local government (I walked right up and knocked on the white house’s front door!) and obtained the information that it was ok to perform as long as I wasn’t blocking things, etc, etc.

My question is for you guys... As I was reading the thread "passing the hat", I noticed that some of you were saying it was better to do a "semi-stage" show for alot of people at once, instead of close up magic for a few people at a time..... My problem is... I like close up magic alot more than stage magic, and I was wondering if you guys knew how to make the same amount of money doing close up on the street, rather than stage on the street. Lift watches?


Thanks!


5150,

Bird Brain

Short of mugging the spectators, no.



(Actually, that's a serious answer!)

cheers,

Peter Marucci

showtimecol@aol.com

Do the math! When I hit the streets, I have a 10-minute act. It consumes over 15 minutes. The balance is drawing the tip (crowd) and the passing the hat. I try for as big an audience as possible, realizing that about half are not going to drop anything in my hat. On a poor day in Baltimore Inner Harbor, I draw about 60 people. So 30 drop something in my hat (say a buck, that’s $30!). I turn three good tips an hour ($90).

Ok, you do close up. You get maybe 10 people that can clearly see what you are performing. You also get about half of them to drop some money in the hat (five honest folk) so you just got $5 for your effort. You probably have a 10 min act also. Maybe you can draw 10 people faster than I can draw 60, so maybe you get four or five shows completed in and hour. You have earned between $20 and $25 for your hours work. That is less than I made for one show. Frankly, you will be working your butt off to make any real money on the street. Unless, of course, you get a TV special and don’t worry about passing the hat!

For close-up magic find a different venue that pays better than the streets. Hit the restaurants.

Give it a try, let me know how you do! After all, I could be wrong.

But I don't think you are, MP. Besides the statements you made, another thing to consider is this. Passersby may not even realize you are doing magic if you do close up!



The fact that you "like" close up better means nothing here. If you want to do close up and make money at it, find or create a venue where you can do that. If you want to MAKE MONEY performing on the street, I suggest you read the works of Cellini and Sheridan.

Thanks for the input, people!

Alright... I think I’ll go to my fat cat uncle and ask him to put me on TV!

No, seriously, I have yet ANOTHER question on this topic... One of the first things I saw that got me into magic (actually, I wasn’t into magic at the time) was "The Science of Magic" show... I saw it on a DVD... And Chappy Brazil was on the show doing street magic and lifting people’s watches... He had a few people... Maybe about 15... SO, the question is, There must be some "in between" effects that everyone can see, but still fall under the "close up magic" class... Spoon bending and sponge balls, for example...?

Wait... Maybe this will be easier... What do YOU guys feature in your street shows?


Thanks a lot!!! I need the help!


5150,

Bird Brain

There are two threads addressing this question. Check out “Best Street Effects” (two pages of ideas including an outline of one of my acts) and “Best for the Streets” which is mainly a post by Piccard (a friend and student of Cellini).

In my street act, I do the pom-pon stick, my own Mirror Monte (with jumbo cards -- remember we're working for a big crowd here),

the Professor's Nightmare (my own version), a card mind-reading routine using a Crooked Deck (and three or four spectators from different parts of the crowd), and Needle Through Balloon (using the usual needle rigged up like an antique sword), among other things.

Each trick has a couple of things in common:

They are all highly visible, and they are quick.

The street is no place for long, drawn-out routines; people in the crowd are on their way somewhere else usually, so you've got to grab their attention and hold it.

Remember, what people like Blaine do on TV, and what REAL street magic is, are poles apart!

cheers,

Peter Marucci

showtimecol@aol.com

Linking rings! Rope routine, A couple of jumbo card effects, and a mentalism routine using seven people from different parts of the crowd.

What jumbo card routines do you guys recommend? Also, does anyone know where I could get some jumbo cards made? As you can see from the picture, I do a medieval jongleur (jester). I've acquired a deck of medieval style playing cards, but they're standard size. I do a rope through the neck trick and the professor's nightmare, but I'm looking for a couple of other tricks that are street doable that fit my character.

I guess the magic I do on the streets would be more like Palor magic than extreme close-up... I sometimes perform coin magic... But keeping the people back and giving yourself a little space is important... In the beginning of the show if I don't have a large group ...I will do a Close-up card trick, But once I have them stopping, I stop and try and control the group into making a wide half moon shaped circle around me...
I say "don't come too close or you will be me"!!! Or "Please move back so everyone can see" ...The Great thing about the streets is that no one can really tell you what will work for you... It's a great place to try out ideas... New Tricks... Just do it... If they don't kill you ...Everything will be OK...

[quote]On 2002-01-24 13:02, Pokie-Poke wrote:
What jumbo card routines do you guys recommend?

One of my favorites is Fred Kaps' 3 Card Trick with 4 Cards. Another crowd pleaser is the McCombical Prediction, available in standard cards as well as jumbo.

Bob Taxin

I would not recommend removing anything from a spectator such as a watch in a street situation.
I remember talking to a stage performer who had done a pickpocket act for years who mentioned that he always had someone as a witness in case someone claimed he had taken something and not given it back or taken something out of a wallet.
Just think that sort of effect could be more trouble for you than it is worth.

Of course the pat answer is "NO" you just can't do close-up and make as much money. However, that is to say that you can't do close-up magic that isn't visible to 60-80 people. So if you do a cut and restored rope as a close-up trick you can turn it into an effective street trick. This of course holds true for some mentalism. However, if you are planning on doing "scotch and soda" you probably won't pull it off for your larger paying crowd.

I have a web page with a few suggestions for street: http://www.starry.com/magic/street.htm

Live the magic!

Ace

Click here to view/download attached file.

Ace,
Good, solid advice on your site: short, sweet and to the point.
The idea of the chalk circle or semi-circle is a great one; I've got to try it myself.
cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aollcom

If a mime can draw a crowd, racing turtles make money, so can you, just be creative.
see how big you can play a small trick, and make your space as big as is practical. It is the front row that is most likly to give, so make it as big as you can, also, use volunteers, and their reactions.

Doing scotch and soda the other day, and the lady was so surprised she hit me (not hard)the crowed's reaction for that was worth more than the trick
If you have "show" they will watch.

Is that what a mime gathers? I thought those were called mobs. I'll give you annoyed throng but not a crowd.

No, yak, a mob is crows. Turtles come in a herd. Don't they?
All seriousness aside, I've had the best success with bigger stuff:
McCombical prediction is a good opener for me.

I thought it was a murder of crows (it is)
As I don't stop talking during my act I respect anyone who can do a show with out talking at all!
yours truly the worlds worst mime

I have tried doing close up magic with a friend in central London and the most I made was about £15 (about $34) in an hour and a half. Two problems, half the time they kept looking around for camera's. Secondly asking someone for money just because you stopped and showed them a trick may make them feel awkward, this should not be a feeling connected with you or magic. I've found if you do tricks with money they often let you keep it. I have had good sucess with floating a note off a spec's hand using the le'Claire set up. Start with a card trick or two, say you lke them and want to show them something special, build it up. Use a low denomination, make them feel good, make them laugh and the note is yours.

Here is a real nice discussion about the size of a show. I am mining the hills now.